Knock on wood

The kitchen is often referred to as the heart of the home, so it’s no wonder many design and décor tips centre around it. Whether you’re starting from scratch or tweaking your current kitchen, you can always look at the latest trends to aid in your project.

One of the biggest ways in which you can change the look of your kitchen is by updating the flooring. Hardwood flooring is expected to continue to be a huge trend for kitchens over the coming year.

“We’re definitely seeing a lot more hardwood,” says Tim Pariseau, operations manager at Curtis Carpets, which celebrated its 30-year anniversary in 2010. “It’s something different than vinyl.”

In addition to the warmth hardwood brings to a room, what attracts many homeowners is its timeless look and durability, as it can be enjoyed for years after installation. Another benefit stems from the ability to adapt hardwood flooring to suit a number of different colours and styles in your kitchen, allowing you to create a personalized look for your home.

If you already have a wood floor buried underneath another type of floor covering, you might consider exposing it, then repairing any damaged boards and refinishing it. If you decide to go with new flooring, you can use your preferred style of pre-finished wood, which comes in a variety of shades. “Our hand-scraped woods are also very popular,” says Pariseau. Hand-scraped hardwood is a great way to add richness and texture to your flooring.

Laminate wood flooring is another alternative and is available in a wide variety of simulated wood types and colours. “Laminates have become a lot more popular,” confirms Pariseau. As well as being very easy to install and maintain, laminate wood flooring can be coated with scratch- and stain-resistant surfaces to help protect it from scrapes and spills.

Indeed, one of the only downsides to installing hardwood flooring is if spills are a common occurrence—and they usually are in a kitchen environment. However, that shouldn’t deter homeowners from making the switch to hardwood, as the finishes on much of today’s hardwood flooring are quite tolerant of water and staining—so long as the floors are not wet for extended periods of time. “Water and wood don’t mix,” says Pariseau. “But as long as you wipe up a spill right away, it should be fine.”